An image forming apparatus includes: a main apparatus body having an image forming unit and a discharge tray; and a controller. The main apparatus body includes a conveyance path along which a sheet passed through the image forming unit is conveyed; a discharge path branched from the conveyance path and connected to the discharge tray; and a reconveyance path having a first path different from the discharge path and a second path for conveying the sheet to the image forming unit. In a double-sided printing, if a first sheet has passed through the first path when a forward end of a second sheet arrives at a predetermined position in the conveyance path, the controller conveys the second sheet to the first path and then conveys the second sheet to the second path.

According to one embodiment, a manual sheet feeding device includes a pressure plate, a first displacement member, a first input member, a second displacement member, a second input member, a coupling member, a restricting member, and an elastic member. The first displacement member displaces the plate from a first side to a pressure and a release position. The first input member displaces the first displacement member to a first and a second position. The second displacement member displaces the plate from a second side to the pressure and the release position. The second input member displaces the second displacement member to a third and a fourth position. The coupling member gives the second input member a second displacement amount larger than a first displacement amount. The restricting member restricts a displacement amount of the second input member. The elastic member elastically deforms when the amount of displacement is restricted.

A sheet separating device includes a sheet separator that includes plural separating portions which have a planar shape and which are stacked one on top of another. The sheet separator has openings provided between the plural separating portions at both ends of the plural separating portions in a sheet passing direction. The sheet separator allows gaps between the plural separating portions facing one another to receive one of plural sheets apiece so as to cause the plural sheets to be kept separated from one another. The sheet separating device is held on a placement portion of a sheet processing apparatus that includes a sheet processing unit and the placement portion. The sheet processing unit sequentially feeds thereinto the plural sheets through a feeding opening and performs processing on the plural sheets. The plural sheets to be fed through the feeding opening are placed on the placement portion.

A sheet separating device includes a sheet separator that includes plural separating portions which have a planar shape and which are stacked one on top of another. The sheet separator has openings provided between the plural separating portions at both ends of the plural separating portions in a sheet passing direction. The sheet separator allows gaps between the plural separating portions facing one another to receive one of plural sheets apiece so as to cause the plural sheets to be kept separated from one another. The sheet separating device is held on a placement portion of a sheet processing apparatus that includes a sheet processing unit and the placement portion. The sheet processing unit sequentially feeds thereinto the plural sheets through a feeding opening and performs processing on the plural sheets. The plural sheets to be fed through the feeding opening are placed on the placement portion.

An image forming apparatus is provided. The image forming apparatus includes a paper-feed unit, a developing unit to form an image in a printing medium, an insertion unit including first and second rollers configured to insert the printing medium conveyed from the paper-feed unit into the developing unit, and a guide unit rotatably disposed about a rotation shaft of the first roller and configured to guide the printing medium moving from the paper-feed unit to the insertion unit and selectively press the first roller to the second roller.

An image forming apparatus includes: a first feeding portion including a first cassette and a first feed roller; and a second feeding portion including a second cassette and a second feed roller and disposed below the first feeding portion. The sheet fed by the second feed roller is conveyed toward an image forming portion through an intermediate path provided in the first cassette. The image forming apparatus further includes a controller configured to operate a display unit to display information that inhibits drawing of the first cassette, in a case where a first detection portion detects that the first cassette is empty and where the second feeding portion is performing a sheet feeding operation.

An image forming apparatus includes: a first feeding portion including a first cassette and a first feed roller; and a second feeding portion including a second cassette and a second feed roller and disposed below the first feeding portion. The sheet fed by the second feed roller is conveyed toward an image forming portion through an intermediate path provided in the first cassette. The image forming apparatus further includes a controller configured to operate a display unit to display information that inhibits drawing of the first cassette, in a case where a first detection portion detects that the first cassette is empty and where the second feeding portion is performing a sheet feeding operation.

An image forming apparatus includes a controller that receives a print job, which includes the sheet type and print settings of simplex printing or duplex printing. A sheet stacked on a feeding unit is discharged to a discharge portion with an upper surface of the sheet facing different directions in duplex printing and in simplex printing in a first mode, and the sheet stacked on the feeding unit is discharged to the discharge portion with the upper surface of the sheet facing the same direction in the duplex printing and in the simplex printing in a second mode.

An image forming apparatus includes a controller that receives a print job, which includes the sheet type and print settings of simplex printing or duplex printing. A sheet stacked on a feeding unit is discharged to a discharge portion with an upper surface of the sheet facing different directions in duplex printing and in simplex printing in a first mode, and the sheet stacked on the feeding unit is discharged to the discharge portion with the upper surface of the sheet facing the same direction in the duplex printing and in the simplex printing in a second mode.

An object processing machine for processing a plurality of objects, the machine comprising: a plurality of processing modules, each processing module having a modular structure co-operable with the modular structure of another processing module to form a modular assembly constituting the object processing machine; each processing module being operable to perform a corresponding processing operation on an object and being provided with at least one transfer unit located at a respective port of the processing module; each transfer unit being arranged to transfer an object to or from the corresponding processing module and/or to or from a transfer unit of another processing module of the modular assembly; the transfer units being arranged to co-operate with one another and/or with another processing unit such that objects can be guided from an input of the machine to an output of the machine via a plurality of different transport pathways through the machine, wherein the transport pathway taken by a said object being processed corresponds to the pre-determined processing operations to be performed on the said object. A method of processing a plurality of objects using such a machine is also described.